


Height

by aizia



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: Alternate Universe - Childhood Friends, F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-07
Updated: 2015-07-07
Packaged: 2018-04-08 04:43:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,064
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4291257
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aizia/pseuds/aizia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Korra had always been taller than her best friend, Asami, and she revelled in that fact. So when things changed in seventh grade, she was less than prepared.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Height

**Author's Note:**

> I was so tempted to write "but everything changed when puberty attacked" in the summary.

“Somebody help?" 

Korra turned around and noticed one of her classmates attempting to reach for a book on one of the upper shelves of the fourth grade bookcase. The girl was new to the school, and Korra couldn’t remember her name from the introductory games earlier.

"I’ll get it,” Korra said, standing on her tip toes and reaching for the book. She handed it to her, and the girl smiled.

“Thanks.”

Korra grinned. “No problem, shorty." 

The girl narrowed her eyes defiantly and Korra knew she’d hit a sore spot. "I’m not short. And I bet I’ll be taller than you one day, anyway.”

 _Dream on, shorty,_ was Korra’s first thought. “Guess we’ll have to wait and see.”

It wasn’t until after the bell rang and she’d already gone home that Korra remembered the girl’s name. Asami was a nice name, and she could bear to call her that instead of shorty if only for the way it rolled across the tongue, like a tiny song.

 

*** * ***

 

Korra adjusted the top she was wearing, hating the way it made her sides itch. She didn’t understand why she had to dress up for a class photo, but her mother had been insistent, and Korra’s morning-brain hadn’t had the energy to argue. 

Once the seventh grade announcement finally sounded over the P.A. system, the teacher clapped her hands and ordered the class to line up from tallest to shortest. Korra took her usual place in front of Asami.

“I like your shirt,” Asami whispered in her ear.

“Shut up, shorty,” Korra said, grinning.

“No, I mean it. It’s not really your style—I know—but it looks good on you.”

Korra felt her face heat up, and was suddenly glad Asami was behind her. Her best friend had a weird effect on her. Part of her knew exactly what it was and the rest of her didn’t even want to think about it. 

Korra noticed the teacher squinting at her a moment later. 

“Korra, switch places with Asami.”

“Why?” Korra asked, confused more than anything.

“She’s gotten taller than you, that’s why.”

Korra gaped at the teacher. “There’s no way.”

“We could test it,” Asami said, and the two girls formed a back-to-back position.

The teacher only nodded. “Looks like Asami is about half an inch taller.”

Korra felt her stomach drop. Shorty was taller than her. It was practically a crime against nature. 

And if Korra was shorter than shorty, then what did that make her? Ultra-shorty? Short _est_?

Asami moved in front of Korra, as told, and grinned at her. “I did warn you, you know. Guess I’ll have to start calling you shorty, now, huh?”

Korra crossed her arms and scowled at the floor. “I’ll catch up.”

 

*** * ***

 

“I can’t believe he ditched me like that.” Korra hoisted herself onto the bathroom counter, and Asami followed suit, in her floor-length dress and all. “You don’t just ask a girl to a dance and then leave her for somebody else in front of everyone.”

“I’m so sorry, Korra. Delun’s an asshole,” Asami said. “And you’re way too good for him, anyway.”

Korra nodded, staring at the tile floor. Asami rubbed circles on her back, and Korra leaned into the touch, though guilt tugged at her. “Asami, you should really go back to the party. It’s our last high school dance. I don’t want to keep you in a public bathroom the whole time.”

“No way; I’m staying.”

“You sure?”

“Of course. It’s not like I have anyone I want to dance with in there, anyway.”

Korra sighed. “I didn’t even want to go with him in the first place.”

Something shifted in Asami’s gaze. “Really?”

“Yeah.” Korra didn’t want to elaborate. She had agreed mostly because she’d wanted a distraction from the girl next to her, though the fact that Asami hadn’t gone with anyone gave Korra an inkling of hope.

Their conversation reached a lull, until Asami turned to Korra and offered her a hand, smirking. “Care to dance?”

Korra laughed. “Fine.”

It started out fast and careless, mirroring the song that reverberated dully through the bathroom from the dance floor. Asami froze up awkwardly when a slow song began, and then quickly placed her hands on Korra’s waist to cover it up. In response, Korra rested her arms on Asami’s shoulders and realized just how much shorter she was when Asami was in high heels. 

Eye contact was never broken. Korra was tempted to kiss her, and the longer she stared at her the more intense the urge grew.

She psyched herself up and stood on her tiptoes, realizing too late that she still wasn’t at quite the right height. Asami blinked at her, and Korra attempted to re-stable herself, tripping over one of Asami’s feet in the process. 

There were two thoughts running through Korra’s mind afterward; she was on the floor, and she had almost kissed Asami.

“Oh my god. Are you okay?” Asami offered her a hand to help her up, and Korra noticed the blush on her cheeks.

“I’m fine. I’m sorry—”

“No, don’t apologize. In fact—” Asami leaned down, and it didn’t take Korra long to realize she was taking her heeled shoes off. She put the heels to the side and stood up straight. “It’ll be easier now. I mean, if you still want to.”

Korra felt a weight leave her shoulders and she laughed lightly, tentatively stepping toward her. The kiss didn’t last long, but Korra felt her heart pounding halfway out of her chest anyway. Afterwards, neither pulled away completely, and Asami rested her forehead on Korra’s. 

“Not bad, shorty,” Asami said, her eyes playful.

 

*** * ***

 

“Korra, you’re 32. If you were going to end up taller than me, it would have happened already.”

“You don’t know that, Asami. You could shrink,” Korra said, pulling on a pair of pajama pants. She flopped on the bed, and Asami followed suit, albeit more gingerly.

“Shrink three inches?”

“I’m sure it’s happened.”

Asami rolled her eyes. “Didn’t we make a deal when we got married? If you always got to be the big spoon you’d stop complaining about me being taller.”

“‘K, I’ll stop. But that was kind of an unfair deal. I know how much you love being the little spoon, anyway.”

Asami curled against her, yawning before Korra wrapped an arm around her. “Can’t deny that.”


End file.
